New York doctors are feeling queasy about ObamaCare — and many won’t participate in the new national insurance program because they fear they’ll go broke, The Post has learned.

“ObamaCare is going to send me more patients to see and then cut the payments to provide the care — that’s what’s going to happen,” predicted Donald Moore, a primary-care doctor in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. “I will not accept it.”

Moore claims that President Obama made a big mistake by requiring uninsured residents to obtain medical coverage from for-profit insurers through the ObamaCare health exchanges instead of through public health programs like Medicaid.

Under tremendous pressure to keep costs down and profits up, Moore said he’s concerned that commercial insurers will pay doctors less for patient visits and services than either Medicaid or Medicare.

Many doctors, he argues, won’t be able to cover their costs with such skimpy fees.

Moore scoffed, “Who’s going to sustain the losses? The insurance companies? It’s basically going to be a race to the bottom.”

Despite a much publicized rollout, many other doctors said they haven’t decided whether to become ObamaCare providers, because they haven’t been notified by insurers or the state about ­reimbursement rates.

“I have not spoken with anyone who has made a decision to participate in the exchanges. We simply don’t have any information about which we can make a decision,” said Dr. Paul Orloff, president of the New York County Medical Society.

“We have no idea what the reimbursements will be or what the claims-form process will entail.”

The Medical Society of New York State is conducting a survey of doctor concerns about the program and asking whether they will accept patients who buy policies.

“There’s a real question about how many doctors will participate. Doctors are concerned about being left holding the bag,” said Sam Unterricht, an ophthalmologist and the president of the state medical society.

The clumsy launch of ObamaCare in New York and elsewhere — with computer glitches and sketchy information — worries the medical community, he said.

“It’s really shaky right now,” Unterricht said.

Spooked about the payments they’ll receive under ObamaCare, other doctors said they’ve stopped hiring staff for their medical practices.

“I’m apprehensive. I’m certainly not hiring anyone new,” said James Reilly, an obstetrician who has delivered 4,000 babies and heads the Richmond County Medical Society.

“We want to see the impact on the bottom line,” said Reilly, who has a 12-member staff and pays a hefty $200,000 annual medical-malpractice insurance premium.

A spokesman for Emblem Health said a payment plan is in place for medical providers who are part of its ObamaCare plans.

The state Health Department says more than 100,000 individuals have completed applications on the health-exchange Web site, healtbenefitexchange.ny.gov, and were deemed eligible for the new medical plans.
The enrollment period for individuals in New York runs through March 31, and coverage begins as early as Jan. 1.

Each insurer in the exchange offers different levels of coverage and deductibles — Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze.

What's Your Take?

Everyone, from the New York County medical society, to the doctor running a lonely clinic in the middle of Alaska, is nervous about the potential repercussions of the Affordable Care Act. Everything is up in the air right now. We'll have to wait and see how it plays out, and keep an ear to the ground.

these numbers are really high, in canada for example, federal tax is 15-19% for the 43k-85k tax bracket with free health coverage. Just imagining a federal tax of 19% and $17,000 health insurance costs, a 80000$ salary goes down to $50000!

It is still a free country, a doctor is in his right to choose who he treats and for how much. Likewise a patient is free to find another doctor if he does not like the care or fees of his current one. Under government control we all lose our free choice.

As for deductibles, it is the only way this phony health care system being foisted on us can be funded. The doctor and insurance company have limits placed upon how and what they do and how much they will be paid and it is all dependent upon you and I paying for the uninsured through the limits they will operate under.

Gee,I guess tort reform is a bad idea,I guess shop for cheap meds in other countries is a bad idea and UM shop for a better insurance across the state lines is a bad idea too. If we had tort reform the Drs insurance would not be so Huge and they would not have to practice "defensive treatment" to order any and ALL test in case of a lawsuit.......But hey......Barry and his wife are lawyers......

What will the payments be for an office call? For the millions that are now said to be uninsured and are not going to a doctor early in the course of disease, once they have a bronze plan through an Obamacare exchange, they will still not have functioning insurance until they meet thousands of dollars deductible and then get 60% coverage. Of course, they no longer will be uninsured???? Really?

Oh...I see my confusion. I thought a doctor takes an oath to help those injured, sick or in need of care. I didn't know that cost-effectiveness and profits, are now more important than sick people getting the care they need. Silly me. Lemme guess: if Obama (Bush III) offers these doctors/business owners, tax 'incentives' to accept his forced upon Health Care, then all of a sudden, doctors will endorse it, right? Funny how that works. Doctors are already earning 6 figures, but want to earn 7 or 8, and want to do so without paying the costs of doing business? Besides, the only folks who will get hurt are the working class and poor (you know...those who are FORCED to get Obamacare, and those who WORK for the very doctors that don't want to accept it.) If only I knew that my quality of healthcare depends on how much money I can provide to my doctors. So, since none of the doctors are forced to take Obamacare, they will simply stop healing the working class and poor. Seems like Bloombergs dreams of a NYC without poor people or the working class, is coming to fruition.

@Ed when you put in $300k+ to go to school for 12+ years, $50k is nothing when you are working 72+ hours a week... Haven't you ever heard of "you get out what you put into it"? they work that hard and they deserved to be compensated for their time and effort. with med school prices increasing each year, and if reimbursement to doctors is not enough to cover them, you will see less and less students going to med school, causing less competition with med schools, and a lower quality of doctors coming out... so have fun getting a doctor (or less-qualified NP) giving you lower quality healthcare. But who cares everyone's getting the same crappier quality healthcare!!

@Think4Yourself Doctors are individuals. I don't believe one person has a right to another person's time and skill. The first rule of economics is there isn't enough of anything to be spread evenly and fairly across the world. And the first rule of politics is to ignore that and promise people everything.

@Think4Yourself When you pay these doctors' medical school bills, then you can tell them to work for free, or less then the person at McDonalds. The quality of doctors is going to decline 'til your doctor is the person at the bottom of the class in HS. The way this county's monetary system is going you are going to have to earn 8 figs just to be lower middle class, when a loaf of bread cost $1,000.00. Been to Mexico lately??

@Think4Yourself Doctors are supposed to work for free because a poor fellow can not afford the fees. Is McDonalds supposed to offer free burger - and fries to go with - to a poor person because he can't afford it? Do you offer your services for free to someone who can't afford it?

Before a Doctor goes into practice, he/she studies for 4 years undergraduate and 4 years of Medine.

Then he/she works as a slave resident - working 72 to 95 hours a week - for THREE to SEVEN years for around $50k a year. Cost of eight year college typically runs between $250,000 and $300,000. There's NO type here. Student loan interest rates are around 7-9%.

I know this because my two boys are currently working as slave resident Doctors.

You Liberals are always very compassionate with other people's money and free services!

“We have no idea what the reimbursements will be or what the claims-form process will entail.” Why do you need to consult with the physicians? Who cares about them? All they do is provide the cure for your ailments.

@opaque/bffeeb80-3821-11e3-b024-000bcdcb8a73 you are sooooo right. If only the doctors had warned us that they would have to settle for 7 figure salaries instead of 8 figure salaries....then Obamacare would have been defunded, right? Who knew people become doctors simply to get rich...silly me, I thought they took an oath to help those in need of medical care....I didn't know there was an income criteria on whether or not a doctor will help you.

Newyork had overwhelmingly voted for obama in both election debackles ,, the clueless liberals will now pay the price ,, As an ex ny'er for 40 years , you liberals make me sick ... time to pay the piper !!

@libdespiser That is soooo cute: you think there is a difference between Democrap and Repukelican. Do you also believe that 'liberals' and 'conservatives' in Congress, turn down the bribery and graft, if it is offered by a lobbyist who works for the opposition? Lemme guess: you still think your tax money pays for roads, don't you?

@Chris Behme How is he punishing doctors? Seems to me, he is punishing the working class and poor, by making them pay for-profit insurance carriers, when he knows the doctors prefer to cater to the middle class and elite. I wonder when the hippocratic oath was amended to include preferential health care treatment, depending on the income status of the person in need.

@CitizenKK the economy was on life support when our Corrupt Commander in Chief took office. HIs corrupt predecessor thought giving tax breaks to business owners and corporations would create jobs. Sadly, those jobs were shipped out of the country, and then the businesses and corporations moved to states with no income taxes. But, maybe it will work..>THIS TIME, right?

Clearly the writer of this piece does not fully understand the issue, in addition to that, they cannot explain it. The issue is, the insurance companies who are PART of the state and federal networks are obligated under law to sell insurance plans and policies set up by the govt. Those policies, in many cases have large deductibles and copays depending on the plan YOU Buy. Now, the best plans are so expensive few can afford them , The rest pay the doctors so poorly or force the patients to pay the doctors until the deductibles are satisfied. This will do the following, patients will not go to the doctor because they do not want to pay them. They will go to the emergency room for a sniffle. the doctors will have fewer patients. Now, those who qualify under law for Medicaid will sign up, But state Medicaid programs pay the doctors poorly and many doctors refuse to accept the rates. NYS Medicaid is paying the doctors the same rates as they did in the 1980's. they NEVER raised the rates after all these years. The term Rich doctor is overused and not really a reality anymore. Of course there are doctors that will charge you cash only but less people can afford it. Obamacare is designed to end private doctor practices, period. Obama and the rest of the political class want the doctor offices to close ending fee for service billing. the doctors in order to make a living will migrate to hospital based care where the will earn a fraction of what they used to in a private setting. The salaries controlled. Obamacare is alseo designed to get the private insurance companies OUT of healthcare and it is working. Look at how Aetna and US healthcare and others are withdrawing from markets all over America. That is the end goal. that will leave only the govt in control and that is what they want. Your choices limited, your care reduced and govt under your wing.

@JGNY Most people get a paycheck. These naive people need to learn what it is like to perform services for which you never get paid. It is foreign concept to the salaried and wage earners. Think in terms of going to work and paying your employer for the privilege instead of being paid by him for the work you do.

@JGNY hilarious....lemme guess, now doctors will have to sign up for WIC and SNAP, right? Ha ha ha ha ha ha. No such thing as "rich doctors anymore''. THat is one of the funniest things I have read in quite some time. Thanks for the laugh. Trying to make doctors impoverished...lmao. Um, by forcing people to HAVE TO BUY PRIVATE HEALTHCARE...how is he "forcing them out''? For example; it is law in every state that you must insure your car. So, whoever wrote that law, is against car insurance companies? SO, now there is a law that everyone must have healthcare, private or publicly available. So, instead of FORCED HIGHER PROFITS for private healthcare companies, you see this as an attack? I wish someone would attack me by making a law that guarantees I will make more money than ever before.

The AMA has lobbied, spending millions for decades to keep a limit on the number of physicians so their income remains very high. They limit the number of colleges allowed to have medical schools and any efforts to increase the number of general practitioners. Imagine more doctors, less waits, lower fees and the days when they made house calls.... and now they keep increasing the percentage of Caesarian births because they can't do what a midwife can do... wait.

@Jeppydog If you remember that Rose Garden "photo op" with Barack Obama and the people in white coats (supposedly doctors), you also know that the AMA lobbied heavily in support of ObamaCare. As it later turned out, the AMA apparently does NOT represent the majority of practicing doctors. It might also be interesting had someone asked the two doctors in this article who they voted for in 2008 and 2012, because if they did vote for Barack Obama either time, they have no credibility to now whine and moan.

@Jeppydog More doctors and lower fees translates to lower quality doctors. These doctors spend a great deal of time, money and effort to become physicians.. They deserve to earn reasonable amount of money.

They want it on Medicaid so they can charge their usual bloated prices for treatments because the government pays the bills even at the fraudulent costs set by the Doctor and then if they get suspicious about the amount it takes them years to investigate the doctors. Most times they don't catch it the government just pays it and goes on to the next bill submitted by the doctor. They know insurance companies scrutinize the bills much better.

@Carjo I have reported Medicare errors SO many times and no one gives a damn. Except maybe the last time....I got an eleven page document with every visit, lab test, X-Ray, finger-prick, surgery, etc since I turned 65. I was to identify each one, what it was for, which ones I say were mistakenly billed to Medicare, and why. They referred me to a page where I could look up the medical codes, since I recognized practically **nothing.** I no longer report to Medicare when they have paid something they shouldn't have paid. Medicaid is probably worse.

@Carjo Do you have any clue how much these doctors have to pay in malpractice insurance? They also have to run more tests to cover themselves because there is an ambulance chaser waiting for the opportunity to sue them for any reason and someone looking for free money.

All you people that whine about the prices, why don't you do the math on the clinics, the equipment, the insurance and the people that come in and don't pay?

We live in France; medical care here is top notch. Doctors in France are independent businessmen. Unlike the US, doctors here are not joined at the hip to the legal and insurance industry. In France we pay for our healthcare in taxes and we belong to mutual companies who receive state reimbursement. The more you earn the more you pay, but when you are sick you get all the free medical care you need. Doctors, usually specialists, are free to charge more than what the state will pay; they can also opt out of state reimbursement altogether. Is it expensive for France, YES.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.. That's crazy talk. Do you know how much money a year trial lawyers give to Democrat candidates? Do you think Obama and his fellow Democrats would actually put the good of the country above their own personal gain by trying to contain frivolous medical malpractice suits?